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In this article
SCAN walks through an array carrying an accumulator and returns every intermediate result — running totals, running balances, running max.
Syntax
=SCAN(initial_value, array, LAMBDA(acc, value, calculation))| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
initial_value |
Starting accumulator, often 0. |
Examples
Example 1
=SCAN(0, C2:C366, LAMBDA(a, v, a+v))Running total of daily sales.
Example 2
=SCAN(B1, C2:C50-D2:D50, LAMBDA(a, v, a+v))Running bank balance from credits and debits.
SCAN in practice
Where you will use it
- Running totals in one formula
- Running balance of a ledger
- Cumulative max
Worked example
| Case | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | =ARRAYTOTEXT(CHOOSE(A2,SCAN(0,{100,200,300},LAMBDA(a,v,a+v)),SCAN(1000,{-200,500,-300},LAMBDA(a,v,a+v)),SCAN(0,{3,7,5,9},LAMBDA(a,v,MAX(a,v))))) | 100, 300, 600 |
| 2 | =ARRAYTOTEXT(CHOOSE(A3,SCAN(0,{100,200,300},LAMBDA(a,v,a+v)),SCAN(1000,{-200,500,-300},LAMBDA(a,v,a+v)),SCAN(0,{3,7,5,9},LAMBDA(a,v,MAX(a,v))))) | 800, 1300, 1000 |
| 3 | =ARRAYTOTEXT(CHOOSE(A4,SCAN(0,{100,200,300},LAMBDA(a,v,a+v)),SCAN(1000,{-200,500,-300},LAMBDA(a,v,a+v)),SCAN(0,{3,7,5,9},LAMBDA(a,v,MAX(a,v))))) | 3, 7, 7, 9 |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Need only the final value | Use REDUCE |
| Start value | The initial value isn't included in the output |
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Logic, LET & LAMBDA17 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 35 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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